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By Victor Filoromo

Writing content for social media can feel a bit like shouting into a void without some guide rails to focus the effort. While a snappy one-liner or well-designed graphic can draw attention every now and again, a consistent effort to produce engaging social media copy — targeted to the right personas — is the best long-term strategy for any organization.

So, what are some tips to follow when crafting social media copy? Here are a few to keep in mind for maximum reach and exposure.

Create Your Target Personas

Audiences have pain points or challenges that lead them to seek out a solution. Create buyer personas through research, surveys, and interviews, identifying patterns that can be used to craft targeted copy. Defining your ideal customer is key to understanding how best to sell to them.

It’s easy to think you have a brilliant product or pitch, but only a customer will be able to tell you for sure. Brands are built for buyers. If your user is different, you need to be aware of that as well. And remember, it’s social media. Asking for feedback encourages conversation and interest. Be prepared to interact and respond to comments.

Devise a Content Plan

A comprehensive content plan delivers on objectives, reaching the right people with the right information. A strong social media content program can drive brand awareness, website traffic, new leads, or turn leads into customers.

Spend the time to perform a content audit to learn what has worked in the past and what hasn’t. This is the best way to discover which keywords are ranking, what type of content performs best, and where current gaps are. If you don’t have a lot of existing social media content, check out the competition to see what types of content they are using to reach their audience.

Tailor Content to the Platform

Once you have an approved content plan, be sure to tailor the content and posting style to the platform. On Twitter, that means keeping it short, typically under 120 characters. On Facebook, there’s a bit more room to work with, but go for more of a personal touch, as users tend to share messages with communities and friends. Writing for LinkedIn? Put on a more business-oriented style and feel free to post longer pieces. Connections and networking are king in this atmosphere, so it’s a good time for that reminder about an upcoming webinar or latest e-book.

Keep it Current

Pay attention to the news and latest trends in your industry, and don’t hesitate to use an external link to a story or current event to make a point. Relevant news stories are excellent vehicles for contributing high-level industry commentary and thought leadership. It’s even better if the story helps highlight the benefits of your product or service. There will be times when that perfect event or trend story falls right in your lap. Capitalize on it.

Use Graphics

The old adage, a picture is worth a thousand words is true. According to Twitter internal data, people are three times more likely to engage with a tweet that features visual content. To show off a platform or new product, accompany the message with an image that can further illustrate the story. Infographics, industry stats, designed customer quotes, and video are all tools in the social media content arsenal. Your message and visuals should work together to entice and engage.

Keep these tips in mind when creating your social media content plan. Need help? Contact us to see how you can create a winning social media strategy for your business.